Woman standing on I-5 shoulder killed by small SUV

Authorities on Monday identified a woman who was killed Sunday while standing behind a pickup truck and trailer along Interstate 5 near Castaic.

Cynthia Ray, 36, of Bakersfield died shortly before 2 p.m., when the driver of a small SUV hit her as she stood on the shoulder of the freeway's northbound lanes, just north of Lake Hughes Road.

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The California Highway Patrol said the chain of events that sent four other people to the hospital began when the drivers of two pickup trucks pulling trailers, traveling together, stopped to check the tie-downs on their motorcycles and a small boat.

Jason Trinidad, 24, the driver of the SUV, drifted onto the shoulder, striking Ray, who was standing behind the truck with the trailer. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two others were struck by debris from the collision and suffered minor to moderate injuries, as did Trinidad and his passenger, the CHP said.

Two northbound freeway lanes were closed for several hours for the crash investigation, causing a major backup.